Harvey: Astros’ new DH, Carlos Pena, a defining character in ‘Moneyball’

Carlos Pena (2) played 40 games for the Oakland Athletics in 2002. (Ben Margot/Associated Press)

One of the most memorable scenes from “Moneyball” occurred when Oakland general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) approached A’s manager Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and told him he couldn’t start Carlos Pena at first base that night.

Beane assured him that the lineup card belonged to the manager but said he still couldn’t start Pena. He told him the A’s had traded Pena to Detroit.

It was a dramatic scene, underscoring very real differences between Beane and Howe over the linuep.

But that specific conversation never happened.

When it supposedly occurred, Pena was playing in the minor leagues. He learned there of his trade to Detroit.

Pena was not one of the major points of controversy between Beane and Howe. Although the movie emphasizes Beane was eager to bring Hatteberg aboard, even fictionalizing a scene about visiting him at his home, Beane in fact acquired Pena later because he liked his potential as a first baseman who could, like Hatteberg, get on base regularly.

Howe started Pena in the field early in 2002 because he was a better first baseman, which Hatteberg in a subsequent interview confirmed was the correct decision.

“I’m sure he was thinking, ‘If I’m going to keep one of these guys, I’m going to keep Carlos Pena,”’ Hatteberg said. “It was a good choice.”

Hatteberg wasn’t, however, losing plate appearances because Pena was playing first. Hatteberg said he believed all along that Howe had faith in him and used him regularly as a designated hitter.

Pena eventually began to slump and was sent to Triple-A.

He never appeared again for the A’s.

According to the movie, Beane said in return for Pena the A’s received “pitchers, catchers and soda.”

Actually, they made a three-team trade with the Yankees and Tigers that brought them players and much-needed cash.

It took Pena awhile to become the player the scouts thought he would be when he was ranked as one of the minor league’s most promising prospects, but he had three good seasons with Tampa Bay, hitting .282 with 46 home runs and 121 RBIs in 2007. He was a Gold Glove first baseman in 2008.

He’s not as productive now at 34, striking out too much, but his OPS — on base plus slugging percentage — is more than respectable, if not quite in the great category.